Hand-operated dry shaver



y 1957 M. STRUBI 2,798,287

HAND-OPERATED DRY SHAVER Filed June 22, 1955 IN VENTO'R.

United States Pa e t 8 2,798,287 nANn-ornnnrnnnRYsHAvER V Striibi; Zurich, Switzerland Application June 22, 1955, Serial No. 517,299

2 Claims. ciao-4s The present invention relates to a hand-operated dry 1 shaver having a sieve-drum which rolls over the skin while shaving and which runs over two cutting edges. According to the invention, the dry shaver is substantially characterised in that the two cutting edges are arranged on one and the same blade, which is bent cylindrically over an angle of more than 180 in such a manner that the cutting edges face one another in spaced parallel relation and contact the drum from inside along two lines parallel to its longitudinal axis.

Due to this construction and particularly due to the said arrangement of the cutting edges, it is possible to achieve a substantially quicker and better shaving action, in that the hairs are cut in both directions of stroke transversely of the cutting edges, a relatively large free space for catching up the hairs shaved off being provided between the cutting edges.

The blade is advantageously formed by a conventional razor blade bent parallel to its longitudinal axis.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the claims, specification and drawing, which latter shows one embodiment of the dry shaver, purely by way of example.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation, and

Figure 2 is an end view of the dry shaver, while Figures 3 and 4 show the cutting head in cross-section and side elevation, respectively.

According to the constructional example illustrated, the dry shaver comprises a comparatively flat housing 1 which serves at the same time as a handle and is provided with a number of ribs 2 in order to offer a better grip to the fingers. Arranged at one longitudinal edge of the housing 1 is the cutting head, which is protected against damage by two projecting parts 3 of the housing and also by lateral edge beads 4.

In each of the two projecting housing parts 3 is provided a substantially cylindrical longitudinal bore 5; these two bores 5 are disposed coaxially one behind the other. Inserted into the longitudinal bores 5 is a guide member 6 which is sickle-shaped in cross-section and which has substantially cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, the said guide member being secured against turning movement by a longitudinal rib 7 projecting into said bores 5 and engaging in a corresponding longitudinal groove 8 of the guide member 6. Rotatably mounted on the guide member 6 is a sieve-drum 9, which is formed in a manner known per se with a large number of sharp-edged apertures (Figure 1); the length of this drum in the longitudinal direction is determined by the said projecting housing parts 3. A cylindrically bent blade 10 with two cutting edges 11 is inserted into the guide member 6 and is secured against turning movement by an additional axially extending rib 12 facing the rib 7. The blade 10 consists of an ordinary razor blade which is bent cylindrically over an angle of more than 180 in such manner that its two cutting edges 11 2,798,287 j Patented July 9, 1957 "are" dis osed *par'allel "and ,fa'ce one another in spaced i-elation, ithe"bl'ade"being-retained by the inherent bending ifstress "ni ;there'cess'i17 of the-guide member 6. The cross-section ofthe'zgnide member 6 is such thatthe 5fcuttingl' edges 11 'of 'the'" blade' 10 contact the drum 9 "ilw'ithslight pressure from in'side'along two lines parallel to its longitudinahaxis. "lt'will readilylbe' seen that as a result of this construc- 'i"'tion'the"hairslare'cut in both directionsof stroke tran- 0versely of"the"drum axis when shaving, this being due 'ito' the individual hairs projecting through the sievedrum'rolling on'the' 'skin and being severe'd. by one Dr the other'of the cutting edges 11. "As will readily be apparent from Figure 2, the blade 10 may easily be 5 replaced by a fresh blade after it has become blunt. In order that it may be possible with the razor device for hairs lying flat against the skin to be easily removed,

a second cutting device is provided on that edge of the housing which is opposite the sieve-drum 9. This second cutting device comprises two rake-like guides 13 for the hairs, which guides are disposed parallel and face one another in spaced relation on the housing 1. These guides 13 enclose a cylindrical longitudinal bore into which is inserted a blade 14 with two cutting edges, i. e., a blade of the same shape and nature as the blade 10, in such a manner that the cutting edges thereof are also disposed parallel and face one another in spaced relation (Figures 1 and 2). With this cutting means, the hairs lying flat on the skin may be removed by a so-called direct cut in both directions of stroke. In order that the flat hairs may be caused to stand up better, the teeth of the two rakes 13 each comprise a stepped edge 13a, as shown in Figure 2. When the second cutting means is not in use, the blade 14, which is also retained in its bore by the inherent bending stress, may easily be pushed out axially and reinserted into the same bore after having been turned through 180, in which position, the two cutting edges project into a longitudinal recess 15 (Figure 2) formed at the base of the bore. In this manner, it is possible for a second blade to be always carried in the apparatus, which blade may easily replace the blade 10 and which is protected against the cutting edges thereof being damaged when not in use.

Since the cutting edges 11 are subjected to a constant grinding process owing to the described relative arrangement of the blade 10 and the drum 11, the blade 10 becomes worn substantially more slowly than the blade 14. Moreover, in order to obtain rapid, reliable and painless operation, greater demands must be placed on the sharpness of the cutting edges of the blade 14 than on that of the cutting edges 11, so that a blade 14 which has become unfit for use in the second cutting device may serve as a substitute for a blunt blade 10 and thus be further used even for a longer period.

The housing 1 preferably comprises a central cavity 16 extending over the length of the sieve-drum 9, and a protective cap which is substantially U-shaped in crosssection may be inserted with its longitudinal edges into said cavity 16, the said cap being adapted to protect the cutting head, particularly the sieve-drum 9, when not in use.

The dry shaver which has been described advantageously dilfers from the hitherto known constructions of this type by the fact that a very large free space for catching up the cut hairs is provided in the cutting head owing to the particular arrangement of the cutting edges 11, and that the only parts subject to Wear, namely the blades 10 and 14, are formed by commercially available and suitably bent razor blades.

What is claimed is: 1. A hand-operated dry shaver, comprising a housing serving at the same time as a handle, a guide member of sickle-shaped cross-section lizwin'g cylindric'ally inner and outer surfaces, said housing having two coaxial bores, an axially extending guide rib in each ofsaid bores, said guide member having'a' longitudinal nooveen itsexterior cylindrical surface whereby'said, guide 'r'nember may be inserted axially into-said'bo'res withsaid guide ribs engaging said longitudinal groove, a sieve-drum rotatably mounted on said guide-member, and a cutting knife formed by a conventional razor blade bent cylindrically parallel to its longitudinal axis over an angle of more than 180, said guide member having a recess into which is interchangeably inserted said bent blade retained in this member by its inherent bending stress; and the cross-section of said member being such that the cutting edges of said blade contact said drum with slight pressure from inside along two lines lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, said housing having a second axially extending rib in each of said bores positioned to engage the blade whereby the blade is secured against turning movement relative to said guide member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,847 Slonek July 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 170,043 Austria Feb. 25, 1952 834,061 Germany Mar. 17, 1952 

